Donations, Community Service

September 28, 2012

Maybe I'm a little biased but I think that in Vermont you'll find a higher percentage of people who are working to change the world. It's just a guess... I don't have any reasearch to back it up, but here's an example.

I was looking at Marlboro's Facebook to learn what other projects students and alumni are involved in and I was impressed to see dozens of projects ranging from the Raleigh City Farm (a national recipient of Green America's People & Planet awards) to Three Revolutions: Funding Food Through Community. We salute the students, faculty and staff at Marlboro College for their fine work and dedication to changing the world. We're proud supporters of the Daughters of Toleza Scholarship. Check it out through this 2 minute video and see how these African girls and their sponsors are changing the world.

July 14, 2012

Here at Vermont Woods Studios, a big part of our mission is to support and give back to our local and global community, specifically to those that are helping to better our world through forest conservation. While many companies and organizations promote a similar cause in their missions, VWS staff members like to do more than just write out a check or sit in the office talking about our plans but not physically putting them into action.

Thursday, the folks at the Bonnyvale Environmental Educational Center (BEEC) welcomed Peggy and me to their beautiful sanctuary, a vacation away from the hustle and bustle of the average work day. BEEC is a member-based, nonprofit organization founded with the mission to develop a more ecologically informed citizenry through education and action in order to enhance and sustain the vitality of southern Vermont’s bioregion. BEEC’s land and facilities include 100 acres of mature forests, open pasture lands, hiking trails, sweeping hilltop views, and a classroom and office, all situated in a beautiful rural setting less than 10 minutes from downtown Brattleboro.

BEEC also coordinates and leads important community-based environmental research and conservation programs, including watershed stewardship, reptile and amphibian conservation initiatives, and biodiversity planning and protection.

Check out those hill tops!

We traveled to BEEC for a meeting with Patti Smith and Belle Coles, two staff members of BEEC, to brainstorm some ideas for a partnership between our organizations. BEEC has some fantastic programs that they organize throughout the year and they are always looking for volunteers and sponsors. Vermont Woods Studios is hoping to help them out with one or more of these projects in the not-so-distant future.

Although Peggy and I were there on “business,” we were able to go on a nice hike to see the amazing views of the Vermont landscape and meet a lazy little possum named “Samuel Gompers.” Samuel and his siblings were rescued when they were just babies after they lost their parents. Samuel is very happy at his home with BEEC staff and enjoys eating blueberries and Japanese Beetles! I’d say this was a very successful business meeting!

If you’re interested in helping out too, the next big event that BEEC is holding their annual Hike-A-Thon. Last year, they raised over $1400 through the fundraiser. To learn more about BEEC’s projects, check out the event calendar on their Web site.

And to learn more about our participation in a future BEEC project, keep following our blog or follow us on Facebook!

June 12, 2012

Starting a new job, I know you have to be prepared for anything that might be thrown your way. That being said, I was NOT prepared for the task that Manjula gave me Friday morning!

For a few years now, Vermont Woods Studios has been volunteering with the Meals on Wheels program here in Vernon, VT. As part of our mission, Vermont Woods Studios is committed to giving back to our community. The Meals On Wheels Association of America is the oldest and largest national organization composed of local, community-based Senior Nutrition Programs in all 50 U.S. states. MOWAA works to provide over one million meals to seniors every day, with close to one million volunteers helping to make it happen. Friday, I became one of those volunteers.

With Peggy out of the office, the VWS staff saw a great opportunity for the “Freshman Class” to learn what community service means within the company. So with Kendall as our guide, Heather B. and I set out to deliver the weekend meals across Vernon.

Despite a few moments of confusion, we had a great time! Being able to provide someone with a warm meal, a nice conversation and a smile is a wonderful feeling. You can tell that each person truly appreciates this service and enjoys the company of those who provide it.

I would undoubtedly suggest to anyone with a little extra time to volunteer with Meals on Wheels. It only takes an hour of your time once a week, so why not sign up today?

May 05, 2012

Many thanks to our Vermont Woods Studios staff members who volunteered to pick up trash today as part of Vermont's Green Up Day.

We bagged about a dozen pounds of old beer bottles, empty cigarette packs and plastic shopping bags, most of which we were able to place in Vernon's recycle bins.

So that's a fun project for us to do and besides supporting our community it also it dovetails into our new line of Polywood all weather outdoor furniture.

Polywood is a line of patio, porch, pool and beach furniture that's made from (90-100%) recycled plastic bottles. We love the Polywood brand because of it's eco-friendly, green nature but also because it's 100% made in America and the quality is superior to any comparable patio furniture we've seen.

If you're looking for super strong and sturdy all weather outdoor furniture check out these polywood collections on our website:

Many additional collections are available on our Outdoor furniture Sets and Collections page or use the top navigation bar for further detail. Most pieces can be delivered to your patio or beach in less than a week.

May 04, 2012

Help keep your community clean, green and natural by volunteering for Green Up Day. Connect with your town's volunteers here.

Tomorrow is Green Up Day in Vermont. That annual Spring day when thousands of good, green Vermonters don their muck boots and head on out along our state's highways and byways to pick up the trash left by others who are... well, not so eco-conscious let's say.

This year Green Up Day has officially been designated part of Vermont's post-Hurricane Irene recovery effort.

Have you participated in Green Up day before? If not, how about giving it a try?

In Vernon, Faith Jobin and her son Jemez have volunteered to lead the project this year. They'll get all the volunteers together in the morning at the Vernon recreation center, send us out with trash bags and snacks, then throw a pizza party at noon to thank everyone for helping. It's a good time to get outside with your neighbors and help steward your community's natural landscape and waterways.

Manjula has volunteered to lead our Green Up efforts at Vermont Woods Studios tomorrow and we'll be working to clean up the Vernon Pond on Newton Road. If you live nearby, come and join us! We'll post pictures on our Facebook next week. Green on.

February 14, 2012

Tomorrow on February 15, Vermont Woods Studios Fine Furniture is doing a fundraiser for one of my very favorite charities, Heifer International. 50% of all profits will be donated to Heifer, a non-profit organization that benefits children and families all over the world who are suffering from poverty, war and starvation. Heifer was started 60 years ago as an effort to end world hunger by helping people obtain a sustainable source of food and income.

Their idea is to give a family a heifer and teach them how to care for it and make it a part of their family and their livlihood. When the animal has an off-spring it is passed on to another family and a wonderful chain reaction of empowerment begins to occur. The program has been widely acclaimed and has achieved tremendous success. Now you can give heifers, goats, chickens and all sorts of other animals to help families make a living.

Did you know that 55% of the people on this earth are suffering from hunger...getting nothing more than a small bit of rice and water to eat every day? Hard to imagine, isn't it? But it's true. Check out this story about Beatrice Biira a young African girl who was able to go to school in her village, thanks to Heifer. Beatrice did so well that she was offered a scholarship to Northfield Mount Hermon high school (the same school that Kendall and Riley go to) and from there she has gone forth and done great things.

So if you or someone you know has been looking at our Vermont made furniture and waiting for the right time to buy, consider tomorrow! Your purchase will change someone's life.

January 26, 2012

Today the World Wildlife Fund reports that after losing nearly 70 per cent of its forest habitat and half its population in one generation, the Sumatran elephant is heading for imminent extinction due to deforestation and habitat loss.

These elephants are not alone. According to the American Museum of Natural History in New York, 3-5 species become extinct every hour of every day. That's up to 45,000 species every year!

What we're doing at Vermont Woods Studios Fine Furniture is trying to raise awareness about the how your choices as a consumer directly affect the extinction of endangered species like the Sumatran elephant. If you can avoid buying imported forest products, especially wood furniture and flooring (if it's not clearly labelled Made in America--pretty much any furniture you'll find at Home Depot, Walmart, Bob's, Lowe's or other big box stores is imported) you'll be doing your part to lessen global deforestation and destruction of the habitat these elephants live in.

What else are we doing?

We support a number of projects to save endangered species. Here's one I was pretty excited about last week: when I was on the Vernon Selectboard a few years back, our town partnered with the Vermont Division of Fish and Wildlife DFW to protect habitat and save the critically endangered spotted turtle from extinction. Last week we were able to celebrate our work. It's 6 or 7 years later, but finally through a long process, the turtle habitat is being cared for and hopefully we'll start to see their population come back.

December 22, 2011

We're down to the wire on Christmas shopping. How about you relax and not worry about the rest of those stocking stuffers? Instead make a donation to a local charity-- in honor or your friends and family members. Most local charities at this point, are desperately trying to figure out how they're going to come through for the families relying on them this Christmas. Families who won't have the means to buy gifts for their children or a turkey for their table.

Your donation could be used to adopt one of those families and provide the kids with warm clothing or toys. Or maybe even a Christmas dinner. At Vermont Woods Studios we're working with a local school where we know our donation is being put to work for people in our own community who need it the most. The staff tells me they are seeing a greater need for food and winter clothing in their student families now than they can ever remember. Many families that donated to projects like this last year are now in line to receive.

December 15, 2011

One caveat before we get started. This gift is probably for adults only. It wouldn't really be fair to give this to little kids. I mean... you definitely don't want to get reactions like the ones in this Jimmy Kimmel video.

So what's the ultimate Made in America Christmas gift? Well first you have to check out this link Annette posted on her Facebook. It's a Matthew West video titled One Last Christmas. It's a story about a 13 month old boy who was diagnosed with childhood leukemia and the family and community that was determined to give him one last Christmas.

Considering the meaning of Christmas (or Hanukkah or whichever holiday you're celebrating) my vote for the ultimate gift is one that helps someone else. Why not give your friends who already have everything the gift of a donation in their name to a favorite charity? Maybe that's a gift to St Jude's Children's hospital to help the families of kids with cancer or a donation to your local food bank or animal shelter or...

Your donation will be quickly spent to stimulate the local economy, create jobs and maybe even change someone's life. Wouldn't that be the ultimate "Made in America" Christmas gift?

Well, here's another way do something great with your holiday shopping. How about donating to local food pantries and shelters in honor of the people on your Christmas list? Instead of scrambling around trying to figure out what on earth to get all those people who already have everything, why not honor them by helping someone who's hungry or cold?

Give the gift of hope to those who have lost hope. How many parents who were in a position just like you and me very recently-- have no job today?

What's interesting is that when given a choice, all of the people I polled said they would rather have this kind of donation given in their name than receive another pair of gloves for Christmas. I bet your friends would say the same. What do you think?

November 27, 2011

That's you! Let's be honest. If you're reading this, you can probably count yourself among the "ones who have everything" right? And your friends and family are in that group too. OK, I'm not trying to be a big grinch and stomp down on all our Cyber Weekend shopping fun. I'm just suggesting that some of the frenzy whipped up over these unbelievable deals is a bit contrived-- maybe you and those on your List don't really need or want an extra flat screen TV anyway.

So what to buy that would have some meaning?

Here's a short list of my Top 4 Favorite Christmas and Holiday Gifts:

A $20 donation to Heifer International could offer an education (and a new world) to a child otherwise doomed to a life of poverty in a third world country. If you can read this story about Beatrice Biira and not be inspired to swap a goat or flock of chickens for the Blu-ray player, I'll be surprised.

For the animal lovers on your list, what could be more thoughtful than the World Wildlife Fund symbolic adoption of an endangered species? Tigers are my favorite animals and they are among the most critically endangered species on earth, but WWF offers over 100 adoption choices from Red Eyed Tree Frog to the Ring Tailed Lemur. Adoption gifts include a stuffed animal, a personalized, framed adoption certificate and a photo of the animal in the wild. These are fun for kids and adults alike.

The best part is that there's no Black Friday or Cyber Monday RUSH on buying these items. But... you could take a big load off your shoulders and get everything done today. Then you could relax and enjoy the rest of the Christmas season in peace-- what a concept!

I can report that your furniture purchases generated a $418 donation to The Nature Conservancy. Half of that will be donated to the local Vermont Chapter of The Nature Conservancy and half will to the national/international TNC campaign.

We wish to thank all of our customers and readers who bought furniture or promoted our event. We look forward to working with Jennifer Kramer, our local TNC representative to further strengthen our partnership with Nature.org.

Forest conservation has always been a fundamental part of our green mission. Although Vermont's forests are among the best managed in the world we realize that globally, deforestation is one of the top environmental problems facing the planet today.

In fact, the world’s tropical rainforests are disappearing at a rate of one football field every second! This deforestation pours carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and contributes more to air pollution and global climate change than exhaust from the entire transportation sector. Hard to believe isn't it? Furthermore, forest animals and plants are being lost at a rate of over 100 species/day due to deforestation.

So, if you're planning a fine furniture purchase or you know someone else who is, please consider buying your furniture this Saturday. Put your purchasing power to work and help us use green commerce to change the world!

September 24, 2011

Last Saturday we ran a promotion at Vermont Woods Studios Furniture to raise money for local Vermonters who lost their homes and businesses in the floods that resulted from Hurricane Irene. We promised to donate 100% of our profits to the Vermont Disaster Relief Fund that the United Way set up for our area.

Happily we had a couple nice sales Saturday and I can report that we raised $306 for the Fund. That amount was matched 50% by local employer Entergy. I guess it's a small amount when you're looking at a disaster of such enormous proportions but the truth is most businesses in Vermont are small, just like us. But we're banding together and it's amazing to see the recovery take shape as a result.

Manjula and Dennis are cooking up additional fundraisers and planning to run them about once per month throughout the next year. Stay tuned for updates. That's Manjula delivering our donation to Carmen Darby, the Windham County United Way Director. Thanks to both of you for all the good work you do for our community.

September 22, 2011

Here's another fun thing to jump into this weekend while you're out leaf-peeping: Floodstock VT,Music Made to Save a Town. You probably remember that our neighboring town, Wilmington Vermont was devastated by Hurricane Irene which wiped out most of the downtown businesses. Store owners lost everything and employees lost their livlihoods.

Can you imagine having your life change course like that in a matter of a couple hours? Flood insurance was simply not available to these businesses so now the hard-working people who made Wilmington such a charming place to visit have to figure out what to do. Few have the money to rebuild their store let alone re-stock their inventory.

Enter the good people who have created Floodstock-VT 2011, this weekend's 2-day music festival hosting eight bands from three states. They will perform at multiple venues in the village of Wilmington, VT with 100% of the proceeds generated at every event to be distributed directly to businesses who can and want to re-open. Every person involved in bringing you Floodstock, and every venue, is volunteering and working without compensation. You can donate or buy tickets online. More info on concert schedule here. Hope to see you there!

September 15, 2011

It's been over two weeks since Hurricane Irene blew through Vermont destroying homes, businesses, roads and wildlife habitats. Since then Vermonters and good samaritans from throughout the region have been working around the clock to rebuild and restore the area. I'm amazed at how fast the roads are being rebuilt. Route 9 between Brattleboro and Bennington was ripped to smitherenes but, with the help of the National Guard and others, our incredible road crews have already gotten it passable. Shannon said she even got to drive on a newly paved stretch of Route 9 on her way in today.

But there is much work left to do. As with all disasters the news media moves on, but so many people are still in need of assistance. At Vermont Woods Studios Furniture we are trying to think of ways to help. One thing we are doing is donating 100% of profits from all furniture sold online or in our showroom this Saturday, September 17. If you have been thinking about buying furniture, this would be a great time to do it! All of our Shaker Furniture is on sale that day; we have 6 Dining Room Sets on Sale that can be installed in your home for Thanksgiving Dinner plus (how cool is this?) our donation will be matched by local employer Entergy-VY. Talk about leveraging your hard-earned money. So it could be a win for you and others-- in a big way. If the promotion is successful, we'll sponsor similar events periodically to continue to help out where we can.

Thanks for your continued well-wishes as Vermonters work to rebuild after the storm.

September 10, 2011

Vermont Woods Studios is a Drop Off Location for Load the Latchis- a food donation program for Vermonters in need. This event sponsored by Peter Case (Fish in the Morning) of WKVT, the Latchis Hotel and The Brattleboro Savings and Loan was originally planned to help stock the Brattleboro Drop In Center. But after Hurricane Irene, it has been postponed and expanded to serve the most needy throughout all of Windham County.

We will then bring the food to Fish and Co in Brattleboro and work with them to distribute it throughout the county to the areas that were hardest hit by Irene and to those who need it the most. Help... we're hoping for a HUGE turnout from Vernon!!

PS-- Looking for post-Irene status information or to volunteer to help Irene victims in the Brattleboro area? Fish's blog has all the news on who's open, who needs what, when, where and so on.

September 08, 2011

As Vermonters from communitites across the state begin to dig out of Irene's ruins and re-build, we are being joined by incredible good samaritans who have travelled here from all around the region and the country. We are grateful to you! Last weekend while I was traveling up I-89 to Plattsburgh I passed a convoy of some 370 National Guard members from eight states-- here to help out with an army of helicopters, dump trucks and other heavy equipment.

Civilian volunteers are signing up on VTResponse to help people who have lost homes and businesses. In Wilmington, Vermont a favorite outdoor restaurant, Wahoo's was devastated by the flood, but volunteers rallied a few days later to clean it up. The owner, Adam Grinold re-opened 2 days ago and is donating 50% of proceeds to help flood victims.

Luke Stafford of Mondo Media volunteered his online media and marketing expertise to build a community bulletin board for South Newfane and Williamsville VT where neighbors can stay connected, informed and updated as they rebuild together. Our own Shannon Albritton did the same for Marlboro. Everywhere people are coming to each other's aid. It's what makes the recovery actually seem possible.

September 07, 2011

This is the second installment from our newest Vermont Woods Studios staff member, Shannon Albritton. She recently moved to Marlboro, Vermont from New Hope, PA and is sharing her adventures as she lives through the after-effects of Hurricane Irene.

On Thursday evening I attended my first Vermont town meeting. We arrived early and helped set up folding chairs in a semi-circle, “So we can all see each other”, suggested a volunteer.

More than 200 Marlboro residents filled the school gymnasium. We looked tired but seemed in generally positive spirits. We greeted each other and exchanged our tales of woes and Vermont-made miracles. We listened intently to our town leaders and emergency management officials as they laid out the next steps and protocols for moving forward in our little town, where 80% of our roads had been destroyed. A local farm brought pizza for all to share. The rate at which we devoured every last piece of this delicious, hot, homemade treat told me I wasn’t the only one who had forgotten to eat that day.

Following the meeting, I met Josh Stilts, reporter for the Brattleboro Reformer. He expressed his concern for the people still stranded down off Auger Hole Rd. I confirmed his concerns and told him my husband and I had hiked in earlier that day to check on friends. I offered to escort Josh down the mountain the next day via a logging road behind my home. Josh eagerly accepted my invitation and we parted ways.

Friday morning I waited on the grounds of Marlboro College to hear Governor Peter Shumlin speak about his plans to put us back together. As I walked into the auditorium I stopped, turned and there was the Governor right in front of me! We had just about run into each other. A bit star-struck and caught of guard I shook his hand and thanked him for doing a great job. “It’s the people of Vermont who are doing a great job” he said, as he squeezed my hand and moved forward toward the stage.

His speech told of the heroic acts of Vermonters and our resilience and tenacity. He shared that a reporter, who had covered Katrina and Joplin Missouri, had commented that he was inspired but the general positive attitude and community of the people of Vermont in the wake of that wicked-woman Irene.

Following the speech, I met Josh outside and we headed to the logging trail. I filled my backpack with frozen water bottles, granola bars and my solar shower for my friends “in the hole” and we set off to down the mountain. I’m not sure the actual distance, it feels like a one-mile on the way down and six on the way back up.

At the bottom I introduced Josh and passed my tour guide torch off to my friend Kim who led us further down into the Auger Hole. Kim informed Josh on how they were surviving and getting supplies. One man, thought to be in cardiac distress, had been carried out by several others the previous night and rushed to the hospital. They were not sure if he had survived but I was able to inform her he was in fact, OK and just severely dehydrated. “We couldn’t call for help so they carried him out”, she said. “We feel deserted down here, you’re the first people to come to check on us”. We continued our hike down the road turned riverbed once known as Auger Hole Rd. The very same road I drove every day to work when I first moved to Vermont. What now lies in its place is indescribable and pictures can barely do it justice. Picture an empty riverbed approximately 25’ deep and 30’ wide as a long as the eye can see.

A local man had grown tired of waiting for township approval and brought his equipment into the hole to construct a temporary road to free those trapped on the other side. His equipment appears like a tinker toy at the bottom of the pit. Josh snapped photos and took video interviews. “It would be pretty awesome if it wasn’t so tragic…” I said, as we stood staring awestruck down into the hole. We all nodded quietly and walked on.

Moments later Emergency Management arrived on the scene with cases of water and MREs (Meal, Ready to Eat). Will & Rory, stranded residents of the Auger Hole, loaded them on borrowed ATVs and stuffed them into backpacks. These guys were referred to, in Josh’s article the following morning, as the dynamic-duo as they buzzed over the rocky terrain to deliver supplies to the stranded homes.

Feeling better knowing that the people of Auger Hole were stocked with food, clean water and on the road to safety, Josh and I packed up and headed back up the mountain towards home. It was a long climb back up that logging trail and we had plenty of time and content for good conversation. I asked him if he had enough content for his article and he replied, “plenty!” We then walked silently for a while, reflecting on they day and absorbing it into our minds and our hearts. I disrupted our silence, “So what’s your angle going to be?” and he paused and then replied, “there are so many, but I think I will go with the survival angle, being isolated down there and how they’ve all been working together with the resources they have to help each other.” I nodded in confirmation and flashed back to Governor Shumlin’s opening comment during his speech earlier that morning, “First I just want to say, I’ve seen more acts of generosity, bravery and courage in the last four days than I’ve seen in my entire life”. Yep, I’d have to agree.

I read a quote recently from a Vermonter whose barn and porch were swept away by mean ol’ Irene, “That’s Mother Nature” he said, “And this is Vermont. We just roll with it.”

I may be a Flatlander, but if this is what Vermonters are made of, I am incredibly proud to be a Vermonter-in-Training

September 02, 2011

Kathleen Wanner of the Vermont Wood Manufacturers Association just called to let me know that as FEMA and the state of Vermont start to assess the needs of Vermonters, they are looking for input from those affected by Hurricane Irene and the floods, power outages, road closures and such that she brought.

If you have a VT business and have suffered loss due to the hurricane, you may be eliglble for assistance.

Contact Alex Ibey (802-828-5241) at ThinkVT.com or visit the Vermont Economic Development website to learn more.

Vermont Public TV has a great website with information for farmers, businesses and individuals.

One last note, our own Shannon Albritton who is stranded in Marlboro, VT where the roads have all been washed out, has developed a Facebook page for that community. Now residents can post their needs and offers to help each other. In just the last few hours over 120 people have signed on. I was noticing as I read through the postings that here, as in all the communities which were hardest hit, it's the generosity, kindness and perseverance of each other that's getting people through the disaster.